


Climactic Event

by Esperata



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Anxiety, Farting, Laughter During Sex, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:02:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25553245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: The first time had been magical, wonderful,perfect. So what was Edward doing wrong now?In which Ed gets too caught up in his own head.
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Comments: 25
Kudos: 72





	Climactic Event

It was the little huff of amusement as Oswald settled down to sleep that was the last straw for Edward. The anxiety had been building for a while but tonight everything had really conspired to drive the point home to him. He was failing as a lover.

The first time they'd had sex, or made love as Oswald preferred to call it, the experience had left Oswald positively bedazzled. Throughout the foreplay and during the main event, Ed had seen nothing but pure amazement and transcendental joy upon his face. Afterwards Oswald had laid next to him staring at him with such a reverential look that Ed had felt almost unworthy.

Now he realised how true that feeling had been.

Every time since he’d been looking to recapture some of that magic. To recreate those star struck looks and hear again those cries of worshipful bliss. It wasn’t as if subsequent occasions had been  _ bad _ , and he’d uncovered a whole range of other delightful reactions along the way, but never again had he come close to that first experience. So by comparison it was obvious he was missing something important.

Despite his perfect recall, and diligent attempts to mimic the scenario as exactly as he could, things never quite went as they should. More often than not the differences crept in because Oswald introduced some variation. Ed had decided early on in his endeavour that it would probably be best not to tell him that he was following a script. Generally Oswald was either dismissive or outright mocking of Ed’s reliance on pre-laid plans so he saw no reason to expect a different reaction in this situation.

But that made it next to impossible to complete his reenactment.

Although to be fair, tonight hadn’t really been either of their faults. Simply the universe deciding once again to have a laugh at Edward Nygma’s expense. And it had all started so promisingly too. Oswald had been in a sweet mood, letting Ed play the role of gallant gentleman rather than getting impatient as he often did. As things had progressed to the bedroom, and Ed had noted everything aligning as it had that perfect time, he finally dared to believe he could bring back that unmatched consummation.

Naked together on the bed, Oswald had played coy, making Ed’s heart skip a beat as it fit his memory exactly. Those mesmerising eyes had then watched him with love and wonder as he’d slicked his fingers before reaching to prepare Oswald. Which is when it all went wrong. Bodies will unfortunately do what bodies will do and the activity following on from their heavy dinner caused Oswald to fart.

While Edward froze in shocked mortification, Oswald actually dissolved into giggling laughter. For several minutes Ed had to sit, lube drying unpleasantly on his hand, while Oswald attempted to get himself back under control. They eventually managed to carry on but the mood had definitely changed. Edward valiantly tried to put the faux pas from his mind but wasn’t helped at all by Oswald’s continuing amused expression and occasional giggles. Which only got worse when he entered him and heard a similar sound of erupting gas that caused Oswald to bark with laughter again.

From there he resolved to grit his teeth and just get the whole thing over with. Whether there were further noises he couldn’t have said since they would have been buried under the loud thumping sound of the headboard hitting the wall keeping tempo with his movements. Certainly there was no further laughter from Oswald as he was gasping at breath far too much to allow for frivolous waste of it in jollity. But, if Ed had hoped to drive the embarrassment out of his mind by a strenuous fucking, that little huff of laughter proved he’d failed.

The shame of failure seized him tightly so that he couldn’t hope Oswald would miss the tension when he moved to curl himself round him. All he could do was swallow hard and prepare for the inevitable. Which came immediately.

“Ed?” Oswald pulled away from his rigid form. “What’s wrong?”

“The sex.” He threw an arm over his face to hide from the condemnation he expected his admission to bring. “It isn’t good enough.”

“Oh.”

Ed could feel Oswald sitting further up against the headboard beside him but kept his eyes shut behind the security of his arm.

“I didn’t realise,” Oswald continued haltingly. “That is, I thought… Is this because I… spoiled the mood? Earlier?”

“No.” With a sigh, Ed finally bit the bullet and faced Oswald. “Well, it certainly didn’t  _ help _ , but that wasn’t your fault. Or anyones. The problem’s been nagging at me a while.”

“Oh,” Oswald said again, his own eyes apparently fixed on his hands clenching together in his lap. There was a distinct pause as he inhaled before speaking again. “Is it something I’m doing? Or not doing? Because I thought you were happy and if I’m failing you in some way-”

“What?” Ed sat up abruptly as he interrupted. “You think I’m not happy?”

Oswald blinked as he turned his head to look hesitantly at him.

“You just said the sex wasn’t good enough,” he pointed out. “That rather implies you’re not happy with something.”

“No. No, no, no, no.” Ed shimmied himself so he too was upright beside Oswald and able to face him properly. “I’m at fault not you! You’re perfect. I’m so lucky to have you. I just… wish I could be what you need me to be.”

He received a confused frown for his burbled explanation and waited patiently for Oswald to catch on.

“What do you mean, what I need you to be? I don’t need you to be anything other than what you are Edward. I love you. Faults and all. Riddler and Edward. You loving me is more than I could ever ask for.”

“It's the least you could ask for,” Ed corrected, offering a wry smile as he did so. “But I mean…”

He hoped glancing away would make it easier to confess and Ed found his focus on the dresser mirror, even though he couldn’t see his reflection from this angle. It actually did help since it reminded him how Oswald saw every facet of him and still chose him. He deserved to know this latest defeat too or Ed would feel he was keeping his affections under false pretences.

“Do you remember the first time we made love?” he asked determinedly looking back at him.

Unsurprisingly, the question brought a fond smile to Oswald’s face but that only made the knife twist deeper in the pit of Ed’s stomach.

“Of course. How could I forget such a special event?”

“That’s just it,” Ed growled. “It was wonderful. Memorable. Perfect. And nothing I’ve tried since has held a candle to it. I just… I can’t seem to bring you that joy again. Like you deserve.”

His voice grew quieter and his whole demeanour shrunk in on itself as he awaited the disappointed reaction Oswald would surely have to this admission.

“Ed?” Oswald’s own voice was strangely unemotional. “Have you been comparing every time to our first time?”

Looking back up or speaking proved suddenly too daunting so he merely nodded in response. An exhale next to him caused him to tense as he prepared for the certain censure so he was unable initially to react when Oswald leant in and wrapped his arms round him.

“You’re an idiot,” was mumbled into the vicinity of his neck.

Ed didn’t know what to make of the reaction so he did nothing.

“First times are meant to be uniquely special,” Oswald explained softly. “Not everyone is so lucky as to have such an experience and I count myself blessed that ours was so perfect.”

He placed a gentle kiss onto Ed’s shoulder in a now familiar gesture. Ed wanted to melt into the comforting feeling of his arms and soak up the reassurance of his words but he couldn’t quite let go yet.

“But what if I never bring you that sort of happiness again?” he pressed. “What if it gets routine or boring?”

“With you?” Oswald scoffed. “I seriously doubt that will be an issue.”

He pulled back to meet Ed’s gaze head on, easily conveying with a glance that he wanted silence to continue.

“Besides which, you’ve brought me that happiness every time anyway. It may not be the revelatory experience it was at first but I’ve enjoyed every moment with you.”

“Not tonight,” Ed muttered petulantly, for some reason unable to accept Oswald’s reassurance.

A wide grin spread across Oswald’s face almost alarming Ed.

“Are you kidding me?I never imagined I’d meet someone I could feel so relaxed with that I’d laugh when something like that happened. You know I’d kill anyone else who heard me being so human right? And then... “ the grin turned salacious. “You were like a wild beast. You’ve never done  _ that  _ before.”

“Because I was embarrassed,” Ed huffed. “I thought everything was ruined so I should get it over with.”

“Well, that’s a less than flattering remark. Maybe next time you try railing me like that you could at least enjoy it.”

Oswald folded his arms and sank back against his own pillows.

“I did enjoy it,” Ed protested. “Only… I guess I was a bit lost in my own head. Urgh. I just keep messing up. I don’t know how to do anything right.”

“Hey now.” Oswald unfurled himself. “You know how to do me right. You just… overthink things.”

He surveyed Ed’s creased brow and reached out a hand to almost try to smooth them away.

“I don’t want it to be like the first time everytime,” he spoke slowly and carefully. “Like I said, the first time is supposed to be special. How could it be so special if every time after was just like it? Besides which, I want more variety. I don’t always feel like such an emotional exchange. Sometimes I want animalistic lust. And other times I just want to have fun with my best friend.”

He offered an encouraging smile and Ed finally felt able to return it.

“If you need something to focus on or aim for,” Oswald offered, clearly knowing Ed’s mentality well. “Then I suggest you see if you can judge my mood well enough to provide the  _ right  _ experience. Not just try and recreate the first good one.”

“Hhhmm.” Ed allowed himself to relax down against the pillows, holding an arm out for Oswald to settle next to him again. “I’d have to do some preparation,” he proposed. “Because who knows when the mood might strike you to experiment. What if you suddenly wanted an experience I hadn’t prepared for?”

“I’m sure you’ll prepare for everything,” Oswald assured him. “But in the morning please. Some of us need our sleep.”

“Of course.” Ed leant down and kissed his forehead but his mind was already cataloguing new plans and provisions.

Oswald might not be thinking of it now but Ed had no doubt the devious man would sooner or later try to catch him out in some way. It behove the Riddler to keep one step ahead. He’d be ready to provide whatever fun and games Oswald wished for. And he’d learn to predict the other man’s moods if it was the last thing he did.

Something told him it might take him a lifetime to achieve that goal, if he ever did, and somehow the thought was not at all disheartening. In fact, Ed thought it might just be the one constant in his life to keep him sane. Oswald always did have a way of balancing him and if Ed got to spend a lifetime at his side then he was sure he could have no better life.

Settling down and shutting his eyes, he squeezed the other man gently. He was truly the luckiest man in Gotham.


End file.
